Mbeki silent on Scorpions
06/03/2008 16:45  - (SA)  

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Cape Town - President Thabo Mbeki on Thursday avoided expressing an opinion on the proposal to disband the Scorpions, saying it was a "proposal of government".

"I'm in favour of better capacity to fight organised crime," he told FF Plus MP Pieter Groenewald in Parliament after he had asked the president whether or not he was in favour of the Scorpions being disbanded.

"The proposal that will come to Parliament will be approved by Cabinet. It will be a proposal of government, not a particular minister."

Asked whether the Scorpions would retain their prosecution-led approach to crime fighting, he said this would be part of the proposal.

"The proposal that we will make takes into account the proposals of the Khampepe Commission. Khampepe does take into account this particular matter. In the end it will be up to the House to decide. It would be improper for me to decide."

ANC MP Gassan Solomon commented that: "We have no doubt that the envisaged restructuring will lead to better co-ordination between prosecution and investigation."